Range top burner pan and electric resistance support



Feb. 9, 1954 E. A. RUTENBER RANGE TOP BURNER PAN AND ELECTRIC RESISTANCESUPPORT Filed March 20, 1951 away;

ATTORNEYS.

Patented Feb. 9, 1954 range :*havinga a reflectorpans in: which ann'electric resistance element is supported, andztotmeansr for supportingtherresi'stance elementithereinp Iirfan' electric rangeninwhichathearange-topaisequipped' iwith rreflector: pans; a1 problemis-wpre sented: in supporting;withinithemefiector pan: orslightlyt-rthere'abovee a 1- resistance welement while at;:lthezsamei timesupporting theelement forz retmOVaIatOGEXDOSBWIhG panfor cleaning, andat'the samerz-time preventingrthev heav resistance" elee ment:andethersupporting means therefor: from; marringttherrefiecting surfaceof thepan; It, the 1 surface ofithexpan-should'bescratched or marred;its"; reflective 1' efficiency-is igreatly reduced whileat=theisametim'ergiving thepan an-unsightlyappear-ance'a At the vsametime, it: is important .topresentaas little aspossible obstructionwithinthe ipanto the flow of'liquids-vor juices etc downe wardlyintothe-pan It'is: importantthat the supporting member or spider-absreadilytremovable, while .-at the? same @time tpreventingsit from in}uring-,. the reflector when i theresistance-Melee meritissdroppedtthereon or swung --awayfromsthe: reflectorepant openingsTheproblemtisr particularly-a difiicult onewh'ere the-resistanceelement. is-rpivotally mounted ,upon a tubular r extensionsof i theelement. and when a, slight sidewise movementsof the spider-isbroughtabout: as the re sistance element is swungto araisedi'positio'nn A ,furtherrproblem .is presented with respect. to wthe. opening intthe, lower portion of the reflector panawhichiopening-it is desired to. shield. from" the direct down-flow of liquids.

An objectrof .the vpresent invention is to provide a range-top reflectorpan adapted'to receive an electricv resistance element and a spidersupport therefor, which combinedistructure overcomes thedifflcultiesabove'describedji A further "ob je'ctiis'to providein' such a" structurea spider" support having thin" vertical blades presenting" littleobstruction to the down-flow of liouidS while providing'arcuate orrocking base portions peeh-as the specification: proccedsei Theinvention is shown air illustrativeem bodimentx by? the accompanyingdrawing, in Which Figure: 11:.isra brokeniitop pian viewof a range" top;andca 1 burnerP-pan provided thereby; Fig; 2-, assectional, .view;'"thevsection being "take-n as indi catedl'at line: 22 of Fig: 1; Fig. 3, atoppl'an viw? of: the ispider' or supporttfor the resi'stance e1e---menu-"Fig.2: 4; a perspective". view of the-blades: composing the spiderand the deflector: plate; adapted torbe.LattachedntheretQ;" Fig; 5, aperspective view off the *bottom' portion; of the deflector plate-2 andFig. 6; a brokeniperspective viewof the end EPOl'tiOIl"; of onerof.th'GTSDidBI "arms;

Int-the illustration given; IO designates the range top which hasra;portion: thereof depressed 1 to form arburnerzpanzl IL- Theburnerpan;imthe illustration: given; is provided centrally with" an outlet orbottom openingv I 2,: the. 'pan' portion aboutr theiopeningaprovidingrasubstantially ver: tically-extending 'fiangeborder I 3.

The burner 'pan." I I is: preferably indented in its :upper portiontozprovide an annular support ingeledge-or surface :I 4; Thereflector-burner pan: thus; fOrmed may-be-integraI with the range topand 'may consist of abright metal: having in itself high reflectivecharacteristics or, if desired, the metal surface mayvbe'covered by anydesired reflective coating. Further, if preferred, the burner pan may beprovidedwith a vitreous enamel"covering'which is" not only reflective ofheat" but also provides asurface that may L be cleaned with a minimumofefiort':

The-electric resistance element I 5 may beef any suitable type-or"construction; In" the" illus trationgiven; a'resistance coil I5isprovided laterally with adownwardly'extendingtubular pcrtion I6 whichextends through an opening I T in therefiector-pan'and which issupported" for rotationl Such" supportingstructure is of well- 7 knownconstruction 'al'id'neecl not bedescrib'ed 'in" detail." The structureis shown in-de'tail inthe copen'ding application *of Charles J Gibson,"SerialjNoz 831481; forRange- Topj struoturey now Patentlflb; 2,63315231"To supportltheresistance" element I5 in the upper portion'of: thereflector pan;' I"pr'ovide "a" spider. I8nwhich' is the specificillustration given istformed of three, thin blades I9, teach bladehaving itsinner. portionprovided with an an.- gularlyturned-flange-2ii-.- Whenthe flanges. arebrought together, .asillustrated in Fig. 3, the overlapping: 'angular: portions of each-b1a'de.= are welded-itoithe bodyrportion:of :the adj acentyblade'tciprovide nrjintegratedistructur Ea m wfdfdiwitht antanentuizw;I.newt

3 its upper central portion for the purpose which will be laterdescribed.

Each blade arm 19 has the lower corner portion of its outer end turnedlaterally to form an arcuate or rocker base portion 22 adapted to restupon the annular support surface Id of the pan I0. By providing thelaterally turned or arcuate portion 22 resting upon the surface It, arocking of each arm is made possible when the spider is being removedfrom the pan or inserted therein. No sharp edges are thus brought intoengagement with the reflector surface when the heavy resistance elementis dropped upon the spider and in the removal of the resistance element,any lateral pressure upon the spider causes it to tilt Without marringthe reflector surface.

A deflector plate 23 is provided with downwardly extending leg portions2:3 having forwardly extending lugs 25. The lugs 25 are received withinthe apertures 2! in the upper portion of the blades to latch thedeflector plate firmly in position, as illustrated more clearly in Fig.2. ihe deflector plate provides a ready handle to facilitate the removalof the spider structure while at the same time shielding the bottomopening it from the direct down-flow of liquids. Liquids falling againstthe deflector plate 23 are directed laterally from the side walls of thepan Ill.

It will be understood that the spider I8 may be formed in a number ofWays and from different types of metal stock. I have found, however,that the blade structure employed is hi hly satisfactory in that theangular end portions of the blades are firmly secured by spot weldingwhile the thin-blade portions extending beyond the deflector plate 23present very slight obstructive surfaces to the down-flow of liquidsetc. At the same time, however, the thin vertical blade structureprovides an extremely sturdy support for receiving the heavy resistanceelement 55 and the laterally turned bottom portions 22 thereofdistribute such heavy weight evenly over relatively wide surfaces of theledge Id and tend to rock thereon to protect the surface from marring,etc.

Operation In the operation of the structure, the resistance element 15may be swung upon the tubular portion it to a raised position and thespider it removed so that the reflector surface may be wiped orotherwise cleaned. The spider 58 may then be replaced in position withthe arcuate surface 22 resting upon the ledge or support surface it ofthe pan. The resistance element may then be lowered upon the spider andthe reflector pan is protected by the laterally turned arcuate surfaces22 of the spider. It will be understood that the arcuate surfaces may beprovided so as to fall directly below the blades It or at one sidethereof as illustrated. Any lateral movement of the spider theresistance element It is being tilted toward vertical position merelycauses the spider to rock. upon its arcuate surfaces and enables thespider to be readily lifted from the pan without scratching or marringit.

Should liquids be spilled from a vessel resting on the resistanceelement i and should the liquids flow inwardly toward the center of thebottom of the vessel, the deflector plate 23 catches such liquids anddirects them laterally against the walls of the pan It. Any falling ofliquid from the pan I i into the tray therebelow is from the lower edgesof the pan itself, the fall of the liquid being broken by vthe-pan'and:the liquid.

4 flowing downwardly along the sides 01' the pan and off the verticallower flange [3 thereof.

While in the foregoing specification I have set forth a specificstructure in considerable detail for the purpose of illustrating oneembodiment of the invention, it will be understood that such details ofstructure may be varied widely by those skilled in the art withoutdeparting from the spirit of my invention.

I claim:

1. In combination with a range top having a reflector pan indented toprovide supporting shelf surfaces in the upper portion thereof, a spiderconsisting of a plurality of thin, verticallyextending blades united atthe center of the spider and having their outer ends turned laterally atthe bottoms thereof to provide arcuate bases of greater Width than thewidth of the blades resting upon said reflector pan supporting surfacesand spaced from the vertical wall portion of the reflector pan, saidarcuate bases being rockable on said supporting surfaces, and anelectrical heating element freely supported by said spider.

2. In combination with a range top having a reflector pan indented nearthe top portion thereof to provide downwardly-inclined shelf surfacesfor supporting a spider thereon, a spider comprising a plurality ofthin, vertically-extending blade arms united at the center of thespider, said blades at their outer ends having upwardlyandlaterally-inclined bases of greater width than said blades and restingupon the inclined shelf portion of said reflector pan at points inwardlyof the surrounding wall portion of said reflector pan, said bases beingrockable and slidable with respect to said inclined shelf portion,whereby said base portions of the spider may move in a directionlengthwise of a blade upwardly and downwardly along said inclinedsurface, and an electric heating element freely supported by saidspider.

3. In combination with a range top having a reflector pan indented toprovide shelf-supporting portions having slightly upwardly-inclinedseats enclosed by a receding reflector pan wall, a plurality ofvertically-extending blade arms merging at the center of the spider, theouter ends of said arms being turned laterally to provide upwardlyandlaterally-inclined bases of greater width than the width of said bladesand resting upon said seats, said bases being rockable and slidable withrespect to said inclined shelf, and an electrical heating element freelysupported by said spider.

4. The structure of claim 3, in which the bases are arcuate incross-section.

5. In combination with a range top having a reflector pan indented nearthe upper portion thereof to provide a spider-supporting surface, aspider comprising a plurality of thin verticallyextending blade armsunited at the center of the spider, said arms having their outer endsequipped with broad bases wider than the blades and rockably resting onsaid supporting surface, and an electrical heating element freelysupported by said spider.

6. In combination with a range top having a reflector pan indented toprovide relatively horizontal supporting surfaces in the upper portionthereof, a spider comprising a plurality of thin vertically extendingblade arms merging at the center -of the spider, said arms having theirouter ends'turned at the bottom to provide bases resting on saidsurfaces, said arms also having aeeaade ing surfaces in the upperportion thereof and downwardly and inwardly extending surfaces belowsaid supporting surfaces, a spider comprising a plurality of verticallyextending blade arms merging at the center of the spider, said armshaving their outer ends turned at the bottom to provide arcuate basesresting on said horizontal supporting surfaces, said arms also havingextending downwardly below said supporting surfaces portions turnedlaterally and in sliding relation to the adjacent surfaces of thereflector pan, and an electrical heating element freely supported bysaid spider.

8. In a range having a range top depressed to provide an integralreflector pan, said pan being provided with an aperture in its side walland with an annular supporting ledge in the upper portion thereof, aresistance element in the form of a coil and having a lateral portionthereof extending through said pan aperture to permit rotation of theresistance element within said aperture, a separate spider equippedwithilaterally extending arms adapted to receivesaid resistance element,said arms having their' lower portions turned to provide arcuatesurfaces restlng upon the horizontal supporting surfaces, said arms alsohaving arcuate portions extending downwardly below'said supportingsurfaces and lying in slidingrelation to the adjacent surfaces of thereflector pan.

9. In combination with a range top having a reflector pan indented toprovide a relatively horizontal supporting surface in the upper portionthereof, a spider comprising a plurality of thin vertically extendingblade arms merging at the center of the spider, said arms having attheir outer ends ybases resting on said horizontal supporting surface,said arms also having portions extending [downwardly below saidsupporting surface and lying in sliding relation to the adjacentsurfaces of the reflector pan, and an electrical heating element freelysupported by said spider.

EDWIN A. RU'IENBER.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 2,392,692 Price Jan. 8, 1946 2,502,988 Price Apr. 4, 19502,506,554 Tuttle May 2, 1950 2,515,579 Allen July 18, 1950 FOREIGNPATENTS Number Country Date 446,121 Great Britain Apr. 24, 1936

